Function and Biosynthesis of Cell Wall α-1,3-Glucan in Fungi
Although α-1,3-glucan is a major cell wall polysaccharide in filamentous fungi, its biological functions remain unclear, except that it acts as a virulence factor in animal and plant pathogenic fungi: it conceals cell wall β-glucan on the fungal cell surface to circumvent recognition by hosts. Howev...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Fungi |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/3/4/63 |
| _version_ | 1818128739603578880 |
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| author | Akira Yoshimi Ken Miyazawa Keietsu Abe |
| author_facet | Akira Yoshimi Ken Miyazawa Keietsu Abe |
| author_sort | Akira Yoshimi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although α-1,3-glucan is a major cell wall polysaccharide in filamentous fungi, its biological functions remain unclear, except that it acts as a virulence factor in animal and plant pathogenic fungi: it conceals cell wall β-glucan on the fungal cell surface to circumvent recognition by hosts. However, cell wall α-1,3-glucan is also present in many of non-pathogenic fungi. Recently, the universal function of α-1,3-glucan as an aggregation factor has been demonstrated. Applications of fungi with modified cell wall α-1,3-glucan in the fermentation industry and of in vitro enzymatically-synthesized α-1,3-glucan in bio-plastics have been developed. This review focuses on the recent progress in our understanding of the biological functions and biosynthetic mechanism of cell wall α-1,3-glucan in fungi. We briefly consider the history of studies on α-1,3-glucan, overview its biological functions and biosynthesis, and finally consider the industrial applications of fungi deficient in α-1,3-glucan. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T07:38:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-14695fb5b43342c0b47e3a94e3338dfb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T07:38:02Z |
| publishDate | 2017-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj.art-14695fb5b43342c0b47e3a94e3338dfb2022-12-22T01:15:38ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2017-11-01346310.3390/jof3040063jof3040063Function and Biosynthesis of Cell Wall α-1,3-Glucan in FungiAkira Yoshimi0Ken Miyazawa1Keietsu Abe2ABE-Project, New Industry Creation Hatchery Center, Tohoku University, 6-6-10 Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, JapanLaboratory of Applied Microbiology, Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-0845, JapanABE-Project, New Industry Creation Hatchery Center, Tohoku University, 6-6-10 Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, JapanAlthough α-1,3-glucan is a major cell wall polysaccharide in filamentous fungi, its biological functions remain unclear, except that it acts as a virulence factor in animal and plant pathogenic fungi: it conceals cell wall β-glucan on the fungal cell surface to circumvent recognition by hosts. However, cell wall α-1,3-glucan is also present in many of non-pathogenic fungi. Recently, the universal function of α-1,3-glucan as an aggregation factor has been demonstrated. Applications of fungi with modified cell wall α-1,3-glucan in the fermentation industry and of in vitro enzymatically-synthesized α-1,3-glucan in bio-plastics have been developed. This review focuses on the recent progress in our understanding of the biological functions and biosynthetic mechanism of cell wall α-1,3-glucan in fungi. We briefly consider the history of studies on α-1,3-glucan, overview its biological functions and biosynthesis, and finally consider the industrial applications of fungi deficient in α-1,3-glucan.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/3/4/63α-1,3-glucancell wallfilamentous fungidimorphic yeastvirulence factoraggregation factorAspergillus |
| spellingShingle | Akira Yoshimi Ken Miyazawa Keietsu Abe Function and Biosynthesis of Cell Wall α-1,3-Glucan in Fungi Journal of Fungi α-1,3-glucan cell wall filamentous fungi dimorphic yeast virulence factor aggregation factor Aspergillus |
| title | Function and Biosynthesis of Cell Wall α-1,3-Glucan in Fungi |
| title_full | Function and Biosynthesis of Cell Wall α-1,3-Glucan in Fungi |
| title_fullStr | Function and Biosynthesis of Cell Wall α-1,3-Glucan in Fungi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Function and Biosynthesis of Cell Wall α-1,3-Glucan in Fungi |
| title_short | Function and Biosynthesis of Cell Wall α-1,3-Glucan in Fungi |
| title_sort | function and biosynthesis of cell wall α 1 3 glucan in fungi |
| topic | α-1,3-glucan cell wall filamentous fungi dimorphic yeast virulence factor aggregation factor Aspergillus |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/3/4/63 |
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